Education

I can't believe it is here! When Mike's dad asked me last night what day I was graduating, and I told him Thursday, he said "this Thursday?" "Yep, this Thursday"—that is when it really hit me! WOW! I can't believe the day is finally here. Of course I am ecstatic but I am also sad to see this part of my life come to a close. I didn't think I would be as emotional as I was my last day of class, but as I sat in my seminar and heard my brilliant professor give her lecture for the last time, I cried. Yep, I cried in class—not sobbed—but definitely cried. She was telling us to never be afraid, as we move on and live in our various communities, to push the envelop, to ask the hard questions even if it makes people around us feel uncomfortable—"this is how you arrive at truth, and this is how you will always keep learning." It was hard thinking this was the last time I would sit at the feet of brilliant minds and have my mind expand beyond what I ever thought capable. I have truly cherished this experience, through the defeating moments, the moments that have pushed me to engage the state of intelligence of which I was born , the moments of giving up fear and control in order to augment faith in the Savior and his ability to "comfort the feebleminded, support the weak," and teach me to "be patient toward all men" including myself (1Thes. 5:14), to the moments of allowing all that I have learned to mold me into the person I am today.

Education is not easy, but I now realize it isn't meant to be. It is supposed to push the limits and capacity of ones ability to reason with truth in order to augment truth; in order to tap into the mind of the author/creator of all things that are, and will be—God. Education is eternal. I felt that more evident the last day of class than ever before; I knew that I had accepted and accomplished a commandment of the Lord: "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith" and through doing so I have felt his love, blessings, and awe-inspiring power in my life (D&C 109:7).

The most important person in my life that has been there to listen to me ramble on and on after each day of school about all the things I have learned, and has been there to support me when I didn't think I could go the distance, is my wonderful husband, Mike. I can't express enough what a blessing he is in my life; he is a gift from God and I am eternally indebted to my Heavenly Father for answering so many years of prayers through the manifestation of him. I couldn't have done any of this without him; he has helped me see things I didn't see in myself, believe in abilities I didn't think I had, and he has acted as the reminder for a goal I set so many years ago—to succeed in getting my education. Among so many other reasons why I love Mike, is that he selflessly sacrificed so much so that I could live out my dream and for that I will be eternally grateful to him.

Thank you, to everyone, for your support in this journey I have been on, and thank you for all the sacrifices you are making to be here to celebrate this accomplishment with me. I couldn't have done it without any of you.